Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-08-13

Prof. Otis Mason, Of the National Museum mad
an appeal to the public at large through THE SrAI
| the other day for an Eighteenth Century Jack
knife. That evening, before the professor fnishet
| his dinner. gentleman brought to his house
rusty and broken old knife dug up on the battle
| field OF neutrality-suspicious. SHE by side with tn,
flint blade OF an Indian knife. Yesterday som,
| one signing the name OF Benjamin Franklin, SEN
the preseason the knife with which, it is claimed
Franklin fashioned the sticks for his kite. 1t Il
not jack-knife, but pen-knife OF very modern
manufacture, having, as some modern pocket
knives have, little pair Of scissors in it, In place
OF one Of the blades Another gentleman, whose
make such collections, has promised TO give to the
Museum, not a tack-kntfe OF the eighteenth cen.
fury, but a collection OF Asiatic knives. The II.
conderoga knife is rusted and the blade Is broken
1t Was long slender knife of one blade and ortpi.
naly the blade turned on hinge or spring so that
the knife could be shut. but 1t Is rusted stin now
THE STORY OF NAN.
Every boy knows what q jack-knife is and there
are very few American boys who have not owned
one. What great museum wants Of q lack
knife, though, may puzzle not only the bows bur
some OF the Old folks, too. Therein lies hidden
the prime idea OF the National Museum, which is
SO planned and arranged that when the Grand
scheme is fully perfected 1t Will toll the story or
man in all his relations It will TELL in object les
when Child how he was dressed WHAT a Sfs o ~ct
patiOnS in manhood, how he went to war how and
what he worshiped, what ceremonies attended
not only OF man. as he is known and seen to-day
op Pennsylvania avenue, but OF primitive man,
Of the red man, the African, the Esqutmau
illustrated All things laid under contribution for
his use, Or amusement, will have full exDosirion
Ana the aekknlls tells s something Of this great
erly knife OF one blade. 1t derives its name from
the French Jacques, which is Name given to low.
tllterate fellows. Their knives had but one blade
When q man learned TO write he had to sharnt.n
his pen, and carried pen-knife with two or more
blades. TO tell the history OF the 1ack-kniie. or
in the National Museum Prof. Mason has the tSe
materials scattered about che shelves and drawers
IN his LABORATORY aS the National Museum
STRANGE GATHERING.
This Is strengthening workroOm in ona of thu
galleries Of the Museum. Here are assembled ali
the odd bits OF human trappings, things tnat have
been fashioned by men, by savage hands ar the
hands OF skilled artisans ior the use OF man, Tor
sn OF ior The heaps Of articles
war-club, from the South Sea Islands may iostie
. delicate Git OF carving bya Swiss peasant, a
pattens from Holland, or an almond eyed doll from
japan. AL come into the Laboratory in al con.
glomeraIs mass e. and are patiently studied and
which tells connected sentence Ia the story Of
man 81 proi n Is. u gathering together tns
ts expressed By the Jack-knlfe. '' -
TIE JAc<-KNIFB caAPrYR
Hehas the rude stone blades ofthe paleolithic and
neothic man. the rude savage that liyed with M
boasts before perhaps Atlantis sank hanaath tne
wave in ages % tar back thar even Hindo Ia
chronology can hardly supply measure for ths
bronze from Etraria, from the menwho ltyed "a "a
wrought With exquisite skfl1 In italy 6efcrs
komesal ,n' ana a, Esnus time and who have ieft
scripttols which no man has ever bean able "a
deSipner But she most complete part of the
SolIesno9 1nas hlnstrstl9g the Iadian jack
purpose Blades q stone, ninb q siats Were bonnd
upon 1 "a o. wood Or bone Tue edges wera
pointed Then when the Indian or Rsnnna = M n,s
tAto contact With the white trader. edeir knives
RsgsG5 g .aass Iron O. steel blades. ons
csn-opener. Other sevagss have iashionesdd